Fresh Expressions
Fresh Expressions encourages new forms of church for a fast changing world, working with Christians from a variety of denominations and traditions. The initiative has resulted in hundreds of new congregations being formed alongside more traditional churches. You can find out more about Fresh Expressions here, and if you're interested in setting up your own Fresh Expression of church, Share the Guide is a good resource.
In the Diocese of York, we have the following Fresh Expressions:
G2, York.
G2 meets every Sunday at 3.45pm at Burnholme Community College and during the week around the city in Cell groups. If you're interested in exploring the Christian faith, or maybe just find traditional church difficult, then G2 might be for you. G2 is a cafe-style event and we exist to help people discover and follow Jesus Christ. Visit g2york.org for more details. G2 is part of St Michael le Belfrey, York
Visions Multimedia worship, York.
Visions is an alternative service which meets most weeks in St Cuthbert's church, Peasholme Green, York and is part of St Michael le Belfrey.
We have sofas and beanbags to sit on, the services are at candlelit level, the walls are painted with images and there are music and songs provided by DJs and singers. There is often space for discussion and creative prayer yet there is a sense of history and continuity as we follow the same set of bible themes as traditional churches. The service pattern is a bit complicated, but we have text reminders if you'd like to be informed of Sunday service times.
1st Sunday of the Month - communion at 8pm 2nd Sunday of the Month - Transcendence (see below) 3rd Sunday of the Month - low Visions at 8pm 4th Sunday of the Month - afternoon Visions at 4pm (this one aims to be child-friendly) 5th Sunday of the Month - night prayer at 8pm.
From 18th April 2010 we are starting the Emmaus course on the 1st and 3rd Sundays at 7pm instead of normal services for 3 months. For more details, visit www.visions-york.org.
Transcendence - An Ancient Future Mass (a Fresh Expression of York Minster and Visions), York.
Meets every 2nd Sunday of the month in York Minster Chapter House at 7.30pm.
A key element of Transcendence is the mixing up of old and new - plainsong chants over ambient beats, live video mixing using ancient iconography, beats and DJs working alongside Palestrina sung by the Minster's musicians. Going to Transcendence has been compared to stepping into a medieval painting, bathed in light and moving images.
Its a place where you can sit on a cushion (or a chair) and watch incense curl through the projector beams, lighting up the futuristic technology, and journey around an ancient building by night interacting with a creative prayer installation, before gathering around the altar for communion. For more details, visit www.transcendenceyork.org
The Edge Community Project, Selby
The Edge Community Project is developing a vibrant Christian community on the Flaxley Road estate, Selby. It is born of a partnership of St James' Church Selby and Church Army. Based on community action and service, we engage with families though loving relationships that offer practical help and support. Capt Richard Cooke leads the project and contributes greatly to the local primary school.
The Edge Community is currently made up of four families who are being called out of the the existing church community and services to be the embryo of the new church, the adults meeting weekly on the estate to grow together, and seek to follow God's leading in mission.
We all gather together monthly on the school site, a gathering that is open to all and that specific families are invited to; there is a strong community emphasis, with refreshments, games, crafts, a Bible story, creative prayer and song, followed by a shared meal. For more details, visit www.edgeproject.org.uk
Christ Church Bridlington
The Christ Church Network, Bridlington has various forms of Fresh Expression throughout our network of churches. These include Fresh Expression Churches and Church Plants alongside our traditional services. These include:
- Youth Church,
- Play N Do Church
- Martongate Community Church
- Bridgeway Christian Fellowship at Applegarth
- St. Andrew’s, Ulrome.
- Midweek Services
You can find out more about these and all our other projects at www.christchurchbridlington.com.
Scarborough Fresh Expressions
In November 2008, the Reverend Sam Foster was appointed as the Fresh Expressions Pioneer Missioner for the Scarborough Deanery. Her role is to find new ways of integrating faith into the community across the region, and to encourage people to become more involved in church without necessarily having to go to a place of worship on Sundays.
Already numerous projects are underway including Alpha courses, summer missions on the beach (Summer Soul), prayer opportunities on the beach (Sacred Space), 'Street Angels', 'Healing On The Streets', 'On the Move' and many more. Visit www.freshexpressions-scarborough.org.uk to find out more.
Xy Lads church and St Maxs, Bridlington
St Max’s is a small emerging community committed to seeking, after God, what it means to follow Jesus’ teachings, to enrich the community we live in and to explore spirituality in a creative way based around a strong sense of community.bread and wine. We have committed to meet once a month on the last Friday of each month at a different venue in the town. We meet for good food, good drink andthought provoking questions and discussion.
Revd Ben Norton has started a church just for men. XY is a developing community of spiritual travellers, currently based in the Bridlington area. We seek to engage with everyday issues and ponder how that impacts on our spiritual journeys.
We meet every Sunday evening in Wetherspoons in Bridlington from 7.30 pm for a few beers, a bit of grub and a chat about the issues of the week, what our opinions are about them and what the bible might have to say. For more details, visit
www.xyonline.org.uk
Buzz Stop, Coulby Newham
The Revd Nick Green, an Ordained Pioneer Minister, has a Fresh Expression of church in Coulby Newham – in a double decker bus. The aim of the Buzz Stop bus is to provide a platform in the community where young people can experience a relevant church. We want to make a difference in young lives by encouraging in particular youth and young adults to think about their life choices and direction (domestic, vocational and spiritual). For more details, visit www.catchthebuzz.info/